A friend tells me a top member of the House of Lords is particularly offended by this police practice which he describes (exact words as passed to me) as "assembling a large number of weak cases to give the impression of a strong case."

This has been standard police practice for years (I had 27 claims against me in 2001 - 22 of which I was either acquitted or were dropped by the Judge).

When I read media reports (which instantly affect the public, including future jurors, as illustrated by ITK on here) that there are 188 claims (yet in fact only 4 make it to trial) I know the damage done to often innocent falsely accused is enormous.

Does anybody doubt the guilt of, say, a football coach when dozens of claims are alleged? The trial may only feature 3 people but the damage has been done.

Whether or not Judges instruct Jurors to "ignore anything you've read or seen" before the trial; that is, of course, impossible.

It is a disgraceful, flagrant, deliberate attempt to pervert the course of justice.